Train-controlling mechanism



A. EQAND' M. SNYDER, TRAIN CONTHULLING MECHANIhn-n.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 7, I922.

Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

nyder,

INVENTORS A. E. AND M. SNYDER. TRAIN CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 7, 1922- Patsnted Nov. 28, 1922.-

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

NV ENTORS sass .se

Allen E. @fiiases Snyder,

ATTORN EY Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

stares.

;, rgs at ram-comme tsassessmen- Applieation viilerl April 7, 1 92 2.Serial No. 5Q,507.

To all whom it mayconcern;

Be it known that we, A nnN E. Smrnnn and Moses SNYDER, citizens oftheUnited States, residing at Bowmanstown, in the county of Carbon andStateof Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements inTrain-Controlling Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to n eansfor auto: matically retarding orarresting the further travel of a locomotive or'train operating on a.railroad when a danger condition arises or is imminent, andit has forits. primary object to provide a novel formof mechanically operatedmechanism which is controlled by the speed of saidlocomotive or train,said mechanism being adapted to corn tact with an electrically actuatedmeans located at the side of the track when a block or other signal isset at danger, said mQCh'anically operated mechanism when tripped by theelectrically actuated means being arranged to automatically open the airvalve and apply the brakes.

Another object. ofthisinvention is to PTO? vide a novel traincontrolling .mechanism which is simple in construction, easy tomanufacture and install, not liable to get out of order, whilst it canbequickly ap plied to either steam, electric or otherwise propelledlocomotives andtrains.

'- With the foregoing and otherobjeots in view as will become moreapparent as this description proceeds. our invention consistsessentially in the novel featnres of construe tion, combinations. andarrangements of partsv hereinafter' fully described.- and morespecifically defined by the subj o ined claims.

In the further disclosure of the invention reference is tobe had totheaccompanying sheets of explanatory drawings constituting a part of thisspecification, and in which like characters of reference designate thesame or corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure. 1is an,elevation ofour improved train controlling mechanism,parts being broken away and, insection to. better disclose theunderlying structures, showing a conventional form of obstacle inconnection therewith.

Figure 2is a detail elevationfpartly in sectiontaken substantially onthe line 2 .-,2 in the preceding figure.

Figure 3- -is, asectional plan taken substantially on the line 3-.3Yin.Figure 4.

Figure 4is a detail elevationepartly in section illustrative of theconnection between the mechanically operated mechanism and theelectrically actuated means hereinafter e ul emain d F gure [51 sj afragmentary 'detail view showing the mechanically operated trip bogie propelr inthe well known way, said elements however formlng no part ofour present, invention andbeing simply referred 'to for, a clearerunderstanding of our inong v tach as set screws 17 t0theouter end of theaxle 15' where itprojects into the journal box'lG what; may be,conveniently termed a stub extension 18,'the outer end whereof isAccording to our presentinvention we at formed with an integral disc 19for a purposelater on explained. Appropriately se curedbyclamping-bOltsQO to the underside of the journal bon 16 a, laterallydisposed plate that constitutes a bearing 21 for the mechanism now tobedescribed. This, plate orbearing 21 is provided with a plurality ofupstanding distance pieces 22 on which is seated the, basal flange230ian outwardly and upwardly inclined bearing 24 ofplatelike,construction and having a vertical portion 2 5 for a, purpose later-onexplained. Suitably mounted on the aforesaid basal flange 23 isavertical bearing 26 in which is rotatably journaled a shaft 27-thatseats on anti-friction race 28 provided forthe purpose This shaft. 27has finedthereon a collar29 that serves as anabutment for an expansible,spring .30. interposed the-rebetween and a horizontally disposed discdriver 31 said driver 31 being feathered on the gha ftby akey32Figure 1. I I

This. disc driver 31 is of suitable diame ter to cooperate with and befrictionally driven by the aforesaid disc 19, and it will be readilyseen from. the drawings as, well as understood from the description thatdue to the feathering of the driver 31 on the shaft 27 and theemployment of the expansible spring 30 that a very simple and effioientconstant drive for said shaft 27 is provided. Pivotally mounted betweenears provided for the purpose at the upper end of the shaft 27 are apair of governor balls 34 which in turn are connected by links 35 to avertically slid-able sleeve 36. This sleeve 36 isas will be bestv seenfrom Figure 2- formed at its lower part with a grooved portion 37 inwhich is fitted an anti-friction collar 38 having lateral pintles 39engaglng in the forked ends of the stirrup portion 40 of a lever 41fulcrumed at 42 in the upper end of a standard 43 integral with theaforesaid inclined bearing 24. A contractile spring 44 is connected tothe lever 41 at 45 and to a stop 46 at the back of the standard 43, andit will be readily understood by those conversant with the art that saidspring 44 normally tends to pull the sleeve 36 downwards in oppositionto the momentum of the governor balls 34.

Referring back again to the vertical portion 25 of the inclined bearing24 and also to Figures 3 to 8 of the drawings which more specificallyillustrate the mechanism associated therewith, it will be seen that theouter free end or tip 41 of the aforementioned fulcrumed lever 41projects through a vertical slot 47 in the said vertical portion 25 andengages in an aperture or hole 48 intermediate the upper and'lower'ends'of a slide 49. This slide 49 is adapted for vertical movement inappropriate gibs 50 secured to or formed integral with the frontface ofthe vertical portion 25, whilst a lat eral stop 51 limits thedownward'travel of said slide. Pivoted pendulum fashion on anappropriate stud or pivot 52 on the upper outer face of the slide 49 isa' depending arm or trip member 53 which is adapted for movement ineither direction as later on explained. It is also to be particularlynoted that this depending arm or trip member 53 will be raised andlowered by the aforesaid lever 41 under the action ofand in accordwiththe l'l'lOIIlBIllZHDI of the governor balls 34 through theconnections here inbefore described. The upper end of the depending armor trip member '53 is provided at each sidewith a notched out or toothportion 54 that serves as a trip for cooperation with a head member 55integral with or secured to the stem of an air valve 56 fitted in theair line 57. It will of course be clearly apparent to those acquaintedwith the art that each air valve 56 is under the action of a compressionspring 58 and that when opened as indicated by the arrows on Figure 6the same will be held so opened by the engagement of the tooth portion54 on the head member 55, whereupon the air will escape through thevalve cage 59 and continue to do so until the particular valve 56 isagain closed. A limit yoke 60 is appropriately mounted on the aforesaidvertical portion 25 of the bearing 23 and it serves in use also as aguide to prevent lateral displacement of the depending arm or tripmember 53.

Integral with each of the aforesaid head members 55 is an angled arm,the free end 81 whereof projects through a slot 62 provided for thepurpose in the vertical position or wall 25, and it will be most clearlyseen from Figures 6 to 8 that said free ends 61 lie in the path ofopposed spring influenced rock levers 63 under the action of compressionsprings 64 that normally tend to force said rock levers 63 downwardsrelative to or on their pivots 65. These rock levers 63 are eachprovided with a notched out part 66 which engages on the upper bevelededge of the aforesaid free endsGl as clearly shown at the left hand sideof Figure 8, and from which it will be perfectly obvious that theparticular air valve 56 associated therewith will be held locked in theopen position until reclosed as hereinafter fully explained.

(3'? indicates an obstacle mechanism which cooperates with arm 5;) tooperate the here- 95 inbefore described mechanism. 4

From the foregoing description and an examination of thedrawings it willbe easily! understood that our governor mechanism may be easily locatedon the underframe of 100 a locomotive or train and driven by one of themoving axles thereof; or, friction gears, belt or other appropriatedrive therefor may be employed. Furthermore the device is equallyapplicable forapplication to steam, 5 electric or otherwisepropelledlocomotives or trains. Obviously our novel mechanism may befitted on one or bothsides of a locomotive or train to accommodate ourinvention to single track systems.

Vhilst we have shown and described the best form of our invention atpresent known to us it will be obvious that the same is susceptible ofconsiderable detail variation, and other combinations of the severalparts 5 thereof, and the right is hereby reserved to make all suchreasonable changes and modifications therein as fairly fall within thescope and intent of the appended claims.

Having described our invention, what we 20 claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a train controlling mechanism the combination with a rotating axlethereof and the air brake line of ball governor 125 mechanismfrictionally driven by said axle, means adjacent the governor mechanismand having a vertically movable trip arm carried thereby, meansconnecting the governor mechanism with the movable trip arm car- 130rying means, said trip arm effecting the opening of a valve in the airbrake line, and latching means for locking said valve in'the openposition until the train speed is arrested.

2. A train controlling mechanism comprising ball governor mechanismadapted for operation by a moving axle of the train, a verticallymovable pendulum trip member, means connecting the governor mechanismwith the trip member whereby the centrifugal acceleration andretardation of said governor mechanism respectively effects a loweringand raising of the trip member, means actuable by the trip member foropening a valve in the air brake line, and means for locking the saidvalve open until the train speed is arrested.

3. In a train controlling mechanism the combination with a rotating axlethereof and the air brake line of centrifugal governor mechanism, saidmechanism comprising a bearing and an integral spaced support forconnection to an axle box, a vertically disposed shaft rotatable in theaforesaid bearing having governor balls at the upper end thereof, afriction drive from the axle to the vertical shaft, a pendulum trip armvertically slidable on the spaced support, means actuable by thegovernor mechanism for effecting the lowering and raising of the triparm, spaced valves in the air line adapted to be opened by the trip armwhen swung in either direction, and means for holding said valves in theopen position until the train speed is arrested.

4. In a train controlling mechanism the combination with a rotating axlethereof and the air brake line of centrifugal governor mechanism, saidmechanism comprising a bearing and an integral spaced support forconnection to an axle box, a vertically disposed shaft rotatable in theaforesaid bearing having governor balls at the upper end thereof, afriction drive from the axle to the vertical shaft, a pendulum trip armvertically slidable on the spaced support, a spring influenced rocklever supported intermediate the governor and the pendulum trip arm,said rock lever having operative connection with a slidable sleevevertically movable on the governor shaft and its other end engaging inthe trip arm supporting means whereby said trip arm is loweredandraised, spaced valves in the air line adapted to be opened by thetrip arm when swung in either direction, and means forholding saidvalves in the open position until the train speed is arrested.

5. In a train controlling mechanism the combination with a rotating axlethereof and the air brake line of centrifugal governor mechanism, saidmechanism comprismg a bearing and an integral spaced support forconnection to'an axle box, a vertically disposed shaft rotatable in theafore said bearing having governor balls at the upper end thereof, afriction drive from the tically movable on the governor shaft and itsother endengaging in the trip arm support-mg means whereby said trip armis lowered and raised, spring influenced spaced valves in the air linehaving head members for engagement by toothed portions on the trip armto effect their opening when said arm is swung in either direction, andmeans for holding said valves in the open position until the train speedis arrested,

6. In a train controlling mechanism the combination with a rotating axlethereof and the air brake line of centrifugal governor mechanism, saidmechanism comprising a bearing and an integral spaced support forconnection to an axle box, a vertically disposed shaft rotatable in theaforesaid bearing ha-vinggovernor balls at the upper end thereof, afriction drive from the axle to the vertical shaft, a pendulum trip armvertically slidable on the spaced support, a spring influenced rocklever supported intermediate the governor and the pendulum trip arm,said rock lever having operative connection with aslidable sleevevertically movable on the governor shaft and its other end engaging inthe trip arm supporting means whereby said trip arm is lowered andraised, and spring influenced spaced valves in the line having headmembers for engagement by toothed portions on the trip arm to effecttheir opening when said arm is swung in either direction, said headmembers having outwardly directed angled portions, the free ends whereofproject through slots in the spaced support, spring influenced opposedlevers pivoted on the spaced support, the inner ends whereof overlap andlie in the path of the aforesaid spring influenced rock lever, notchedout parts on the underside of the opposed pivoted levers for latchingengagement with the free ends of the head members angled portions toeffect the retention of the air line valves, in open position until thetrain speed is arrested.

In testimony whereof we afiix our tures.

signa- ALLEN sNYD'Ea. MosEs SNYDER.

